Machine for testing perforations in tear open cartons



May 9, 1961 M. .1. GALBRAITH ETAL 2,983,139

MACHINE FOR TESTING PERFORATIONS IN TEAR OPEN CARTONS Filed Feb. 24, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 9, 1961 M. J. GALBRAITH ETAL 2,983,139

MACHINE FOR TESTING PERFoRATIoNs 1N TEAR OPEN cARToNs Filed Feb. 24, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

United States Parent C@ i P atented May 9, 1961 Mich., assignors, by mesne assignments, -to KVP Sutherland Paper Company, a corporation of Delaware t Filed renza, 1959, ser. No. 794,893

s claims. (cl. 73-102) This invention relates to improvements .in a machine for testing perforations in tear open cartons. The principle objects of this invention are: First, to provide a machine for applying tearing or opening pressure to perforated carton blanks and to provide'a 1measurable indication ofthe pressure at which the blank tears or separates.y Y ,i

Second,v to provide a machine for uniformly supporting and grabbing a test'blank carton with tear open perforations therein and for advancing spring pressed pressure members against the carton blank until the blank tears or separates along the perforations. v L Third, to provide a machine for testing tear open carton blanks in which a primary pressure member is advanced rst against an initial tear point on the carton blank `and secondly pressure b ars are then' advanced against adjacent portions of a tear line in the carton blank to recordA the pressures required to tear the various portions of the tear line in the blank. ,I t 1j Other objects and advantages of the inventionwill be apparent from a consideration of the `following Vdescription and claims. n sheets, illustrate a highly practical form of the testing machine and'one type of carton blank on which themachine is adapted to operate. y ,"jFig. l is a iragmentaryfront elevational viewV ofthe machine in retracted'position with parts broken away. 1

j YFig.l 2 is a vfragmentary plan view of a portion of a carton blank which thetmachine is adapted to test.

Fig. 3 is an end elevationalview Aof the machine par# tially broken away in cross section; l Fig.- 4 isafragmentary li ontal .cross sectionalview taken along the plane Vof the line 4 4 in Fig. 3.. v

,"Fign' 'is a .fragmentary enlarged cross sectional View Vough theiearton blank taken along the plane of the lines-,sinnig.;v 1 l Eig. 6 is a fragmentarycross sectional view similal-to FigQS but illustrating Athe blank in torn or Opened condi,- e'enwf f *'Tlej producers of various packaged commodities utilizi-l ingcardboard cartons and v provided" with perforated teal-.out panels frorjease in' opening the 'cartonsl'have placjedincresed limitations of uniformityv o the manu.-

facturers of cartonsfand carton blanks and have become increasingly critical lof the uniformity ofopeningpressure required in their cartons. Itllas'r'thereforegbecome a problem to the'nlanufacturers 'ofcartons and carton Vto*.deterrrline with considerablefaccuracy just howl Y myehrpressure iswrequired'to severthe perforated tea`1, 55 lineof any' given carton blank. The present invention provides a-machinefor accurately determiningandcor'n-V t paring the 'relative resistance to' teangiof'he'flefforated ate onf the at carton blanks rather than on erected boxlike cartons.

Fig. 1 illustrates the machine of the invention as consisting of a base V1 of suitable rigidity having a pair of upright posts or columns 2 projecting thereabove and formin'ga sldeway above the center of the base. 'Ihe upper en'dsof the columns are connected by a cross bar 3 and the columnsform a vertical slide support for a carriage' 4.` Projecting forwardly and relatively downwardly from the column engaging portion of the carriage 4 is a Fveltioal'plate 5 ,having 'a forwardly projecting lower flange V6 and an upwardly spaced intermediate flange 7. A top flange 8 is spaced considerably above the intermediate ilange 7 and Yprovided with tapped `apertures adjustably receiving the abutment screws 9 and 10. Two abutment screws 9 are spaced laterally at the sides of the top flange' 8 and the center abutment screw 10 is olset slightly'torthe' rear of the line between the screws 9.

The lowerand intermediate ailgesv and 7 have holes formed "therein forming `guideirra'ys for the side plunger rods 11 anda center plunger rod 12;. The upper ends of Y the plunger rods have heads 13 engageable with the inter- FI'hedrawingsof which there are two y The lower end' of the center plunger rod 12 carries a ball shaped head' 16 and the lower ends of the side plunger rods 11 carrypressure bars 17 that are inclined upwardly; at their sides as indicated in Fig. l and inclined or angled 'forwardlyjas indicated in plan view in Fig. 4. Guide rods 18 secured to the pressure bars and extended slightly upwardly throughtthe lower ange 6 maintainthe pressurerljods 17. in their angled positions.`

Supported ,on the base'lv'in front of the columns 2 andl underneath the carriage' 4"is a` support plate V19.Y The plate "19 'is secured in place by screws 20, the heads of i which .project'upwardly and form guides'for a moveable pressure` jplate "2,1 positioned 'over the SDPPOItIPIatej Springs 'locatedbctween the Vcorners of the plates as att22 in Fig. 3 biafs the pressure plate upwardly from the support plate.Y ,'Thie plates 1,9 and 21 define central angled.

openings or holesasfat 23 in Fig. 4 that are substantially lso-extensive,'andflocatd underneath the pressure ball 16 andthe pressurerods 17. j t j v j f Mounted on Veach end of the base 1 are'bearin'g brackets 24 supporting rock shafts 25 having operating handles 26 andfholddowncams. 27 eccentrically mounted thereon; over the ends of the pressure plate 21. A carton blank to be tested ycan be Aslippedfbetweerl'the plates Y19 and 21 and ,the cams 27 actuated to tightly and'uniformly grab theu 'tapped blank :with theperforated tear portion of the blankexposedwithin the openings 23. t

' An electrical drivemotorf 28 mounted 'on the rear of the baset is connectedto a'gear reduction orv transmission 29 having a drives/haftA 30 projecting thereabovei. Ai i of atscrew, 32Vwhich extends'upwardl'y throlflgllj thefcarriage ft and has its upper end journaled in" theV crossubarV on one pfrthefcelumnsjjZ have'y their actuatingtappetsr36':

tear lines ,of differentcartonzblanks. Sincefcardboard brakets'orrplates 37 'secfuredjto'tlieback ofthe carriage. 'Ihellimit'switches'are connected through cables 38 to the' motorjtorev'erse'the rrncrrtorand theyscrewtwhenthe carria'gel'eachesv theuppe'riandilower-limits of itstravel as be readily understood; A manual control switch 39 lis provided on 4tlle base "for turning the machine on"` anidog: 'jf '14 y Y' .'Securedf-tothelfront edges'of the upper llang'e 8 and intermediate'-angelflfandlin-front of the springs 14a-are indicia-f plates 2:4Q..havin'g. guide slot'sf '41gii1'1 Ltheir lower ends. Indicator blocks 42 are slidably positioned in the slots 41 and frictionally engaged with the edges of the slots to maintain adjusted positions on the indicator plates. 'I'he rear edges of the indicator blocks 40 project into the path of movement of the heads13 on the plunger rods 11 and w12.. Y

YThe angled opening 23' and the angled' position of the pressure bars 17 of the machine as disclosed ,are parf ticularlyV adapted to test the perforation of a particular typel of carton blank 43 as shownin Figs.,2,.5' and 6. Thiscarton blank has anV end wall 44V with score lines 45 foldably connecting the end wall to side walls of a carton. An angled line of spaced short perforations 46 v extends across the midportion of the end wall 44 and continues across the adjacent corners of the side walls of the carton. 'The perforations 46 may extend completely through the thickness ofA the `blank 43 but due to the length and multiplicity of uncut spaces between the perforations, the tear line forms a deinite resistance to tear-v ing which'rean be `varied by varying the length of the slits A. 46'.Y YPositioned in slightly olset parallel relationjto the line ofperforations 46 is an angled slit 47 which extends only to theside edges of the end wall 44 and which `does not'extenid completely through the thicknessV of the blank as appears more clearly from Fig. 5. One or more short interruptions orunslit areas 48 may be provided in the 'elongated slit 47 to vary Vthe resistance of the blank to tearing along the elongated slit 47, This type of carton a rst plunger rod slidably guided in the center of said flanges and having a ball shaped head on its lower end opposite one part of said openings, side plunger rods slidable in said anges parallel to said center rod and olset laterally therefrom along the angle of said openings, elongated pressure bars,V secured to the lower ends of said side plunger rods and movable thereby through said'openingsguide rods secured to said pressureYbars in spaced relation. .to said side plunger rods and slidably guided in the lower of said flanges, heads on the'tops of said plunger rods engaging the top of the'uppe'r'lange, spring abutments adjustably mounted'on said carriage in spaced relation to the heads on, thetops ofV said plunger rods, springs positioned'between said'abutments and said heads on the tops ofy said plunger rods, scale plates mounted on said carriage oppositeeach of said Vsprings and delining indicator slots, indicator blocks slidably mounted and fctionally engaged in said slots with their rear ends projecting into the paths of movement of the heads on said plunger rods, scale *indiciaY onfsaidgscale plates cooperative with said indicator blocks, means including a screw mounted parallel toV saidrslideway and engaged with said Ycarriage and a motor connected to rotateV said screw to aise'and lower said carriage,` and limit switches mounted yto'be actuated by movement of said carriage and connected to control saidzmotor.;

2. A tester for cartonl perforationscomprisinga base ,y having" a flat support plate delninga central'opening perforation is designed to tear relatively easily by lateral` pressure applied at the apex of the angled slit 47 by tearing away the inner surface of the blank between the lines of the slits -46 and 47 as indicated at 49 inFig. 6.

Once the blank has been' ruptured the'tearing or opening operationy can be continued along the `side walls of the carton b y tearing outwardly and upwardly on the end wall of the carton. n Y i A' carton blank of the type ydescribed is easily inserted and clamped between the blanks 19V and 2 1 arid the re-V f sistance to tearing of the'sever'al parts of the perforated blank are measured by actuating the motor .28 to progress'ivelyf lower the" carriage4. The ball shapedv head 16 rsten'gage's the4 centerI of the` blank vand thev resistance,

rt`o deiiection ofthe blank causes the Vcenter-'plunger rod and'its head 13V to rise against the resistancefof .the spring V14 :raisingthe indicator block 42 untilsulicient pressure is created torupture the 4center of thelfcartonblank. The

position ofy the block 42 onthe scale blank 40'perma-- nently indicates theY pressure at whichinitialfrupture, of thecarton took place. Continued downward movement of the carriage 4 presses the lower inner ends of the Vinclined pressure bars` 17' against the ruptured ends of the ltear line and progressively tears the carton along the perforated tear lineV 46. '.'I'he'resistance to tearf ing is measured Yon the side indicia plates asthe plungen rods 114ar'e forced upwardly'against'their backing springs. By` use of this machine standard resistance to tearing canbeestablished and the degree otl slitting vor perfora't ingfcar'tonblankscan be adjiisted'bythe carton manu-1 factnrerrto 5 maintain. any desired pressure ffor blanksfby aimanufacturer.Y.AY Ag i is claimedas new is: f .1

.V12 A'tester fort-artoA perforations'comprising a base.

having.. nat supper;` pute deninaan ,langleagcennail opening shaped to surroundlthe perforation to teQt'ested,`

shaped vto surround the perforation to be tested, a clamp plate yieldably supported in spaced relationabove said support plate and having an opening substantially coextensive with `the opening in Ysaid support plate, meanson said base tov move said clamp plate toward said support plate to clamp a car-ton blank between the platesfa guideway on .baseV perpendicular to said'plates olset thereb'e'hind, a carriage slidable on said guideway and rhaving-spaced parallelange's overlyingqsai'drA platesv and the openings'therein, a'rr'stplun'ger. rod slidably in .the center of said flanges land having ahead on its lowerY end opposite thecenter 'of said openings, side plunger rods slidable in said anges parallel ,toV said cent'errod and gli# set laterally therefrom, elongated pressurebars secured to the lower-ends of. said.y side plunger rodsand Ymovable thereby throughsaid openingsrheads on the tops ofusaidy plunger rods" engaging the topfof the upperfange, spring abutments,adjustablytrnountedon said carriage spaced relation to the heads'on thetops ofr'said plunge'rrods,

' Vsprings positioned betweenisai'd ahutments andfsaidlheads ing intofthe paths of'rmovlementi of the vrheads on plunger'r'ods, scale indicia nf'said'scale plates `CQOlllative with Vsaid indicatorrblocks, meansV includinga Vscrew I n'OuntedQparallel' to said slideway:andrengagedlwith'said carriage a'nd a., motor connected tol rotatieAv saidv screw I to raise and lower said carriage, iand'svvitche's mounted to be actuated. by; movementv o'f'said carriage connected tocontr'ol-saidfmotor.; ,1, f

3. A` tester forl oniperforatins having kikay nat-'support platerdeliningzaV central opening f Shaped for, urowld the, perforation t0 bete'tedr a" clamptally.v Vcoextt`r-lsivel .withthef support plategj' K means in'cllridngV rollers mounted on ,said base-ag eachend of'said-'support plateandextending thereacrossr slidable on gsaidriiguideway' plate 1 yieldably a supported in"v spaced" relation above Vvsaid support plate'andhaving an opungiregistering With opening inaiasuppoa plasmas@ sad base. rc1-'clamp said 'plates together to 'clampV a carton blank between :the

plates,71V afguideway: onV said "base fperpendicularr'to plates and offset therebehind, af carriage' slidable on said guideway and having a liange overlying `said'plates and theopeningsthereima lirstJplun'ger rod slidably guided in the center of said ange Yandfhaving:a head VVon its lower --end opposite the; center of"s'a'id openings, side plunger rods slidable' in/said tlange parallel to saidcent'erv rod and VYoisetilaterally therefrom, elongated pressure to the lower ends of said side plunger rods and movable thereby through said openings, heads on the tops of said plunger rods engaging the top of the flange, spring abutments adjustably mounted on said carriage in spaced relation to the heads on the tops of said plunger rods, springs positioned between said abutments and said heads on the tops of said plunger rods, scale plates mounted on said carriage opposite each of said springs and deining indicator slots, indicator blocks slidably mounted and frictionally engaged in said slots with their ends projecting into the paths of movement of the heads on said plunger rods, scale indicia on said scale plates cooperative with said indicator blocks, and means including a screw mounted parallel to said'slideway and engaged with said carriage and a motor connected to rotate said screw to raise and lower said carriage.

4. A tester for carton perforations comprising a base having a dat support plate dening a central opening shaped to surround the perforation to be tested, a clamp plate yieldably supported in spaced relation above said support plate and having an opening registering with the opening in said support plate, means on said base to clamp said plates together to clamp a carton blank between the plates, a guideway on said base perpendicular to said plates and offset therebehind, a carriage slidable on said gnideway `and having a flange overlying said plates and the openings therein, a rst plunger rod slidv ably guided in the center of said flange and having a head on its lower end opposite the center of said openings, side plunger rods slidable in said flange parallel to said center rod, elongated pressure bars secured to the lower ends of said side plunger rods and movable thereby through said openings, heads on the tops of said plunger rods engaging the top of the flange, spring abutments adjustably mounted on said carriage in spaced relation to the heads on the tops of said plunger rods, springs positioned between said abutments and said heads on the tops of said plunger rods, scale plates mounted on said carriage opposite of each of said springs and defining indicator slots, indicator blocks slidably mounted and frictionally enged in said slots with their ends projecting into the paths of movement of the headsr on said plunger rods, scale indicia on said scale plates cooperative with said indicator blocks, and means to raise and lower said carnage.

5. A tester for carton perforations comprising a base having a dat support plate defining an opening shaped to surround the perforation to be tested, a clamp plate yieldably supported in spacedl relation to said support plate and having an opening registering with the opening in said support plate, means to clamp said support plates together to clamp a carton blank between the plates, a pair of upright columns forming a guideway on said base perpendicular to said plates and offset therebehind, a carriage slidable on said guideway and overlying said plates and the openings therein, a first plunger rod slidably guided in said carriage and having a ball shaped head on its lower end opposite one part of said openings,` another plunger rod slidable in said carriage parallel to said rst vrod and otset therefrom along said openings, an elongated pressure bar secured to the lower end of said other plunger rod and movable thereby through said openings, a guide rod secured to said pressure bar in spaced relation to said other plunger rod and slidably guided in said carriage, means on said plunger rods engaging said carriage Ato limit movement of the rods toward said plates, spring abutments adiustably mounted on said carriage in spaced relation to the ends of each of said plunger rods, springs positioned between said abutments and the ends of said plunger rods, scale plates mounted on said carriage oppositeeaeh of said springs, indicator blocks slidably mounted and frictionally engaged on said plates with their rear ends projecting into the paths of movement of said plunger rods, scale indicia on said scale plates cooperative with said indicator blocks, and means to raise and lower said carriage.

6. A machine for testing the rupturing strength of cartons comprising a base having a rlat support plate dening an opening shaped to surround the area to be tested, a clamp plate yieldably supported in spaced relation to said support plate and having an opening registering with the opening in said support plate, means to clamp said support plates together to clamp a carton blank between the plates, a guideway on said base perpendicular to said plates and offset therebehind, a carriage slidable on said guideway and overlying said plates and the openings therein, a first plunger rod slidably guided in said carriage and having a head on its lower end opposite one part of said openings, another plunger rod slidable in said 'carriage parallel to said first rod and oiset therefrom along said openings, an elongated pressure bar secured to the lower end of said other plunger rod and movable thereby through said openings, a guide rod secured to said pressure bar in spaced relation to said other plunger rod and slidably guided in said carriage, means on said plunger rods engaging said carriage to limit movement of the rods toward said plates, spring abutments adjustably mounted on said carriage in spaced relation to said` plunger rods, springs positioned between said abutments and said plunger rods, indicator blocks slidably mounted and frictionally engaged on said carriage with their ends projecting into the paths of movement of said plunger rods, scale indicia on said carriage cooperative with said indicator blocks, and means to raise and lower said carriage.

7. A machine for testing the rupturing strength of car-tons comprising clamp means for clamping a carton blank in spaced relation to the area to be tested, a support, a plurality of plunger rods slidably mounted on said support independently of said clamp means and in opposed relation to said clamp means and the test area of a carton blank held thereby, adjustable spring means biasing said plunger rods on said support toward said clamp means, means for moving said clamp means and said support toward each other, and means including slidably mounted lfrictionally located indicators on said support located in the paths of movement of said plunger rods for indicating the movement of said plunger rods on said support against the resistance of said spring means due to the resistance of a carton blankto movement of said plunger rods by said support.

8. A machine for testing the `rupturingstrength of cartons comprising clamp means for clamping a carton blank in spaced relation to the area to be tested, a support, a plurality of plunger rods slidably mounted on said support independently of said clamp means vand. in opposed relation to said clampmeans and the test area of a carton blank held thereby, spring means biasing said plunger rods on said support toward said clamp means, means limiting movement of said rods on said support toward said clamp means, means for moving said clamp means and said support toward each other, and means said plunger rods by said support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Sooy Apr. 6, 1954 

